In various applications, it is important to sense or measure any of various types of natural or artificial phenomena, such as radiation to which a device or product has been exposed. This may be the case in electronic, medical, food safety, and space applications, for example. One application may be for assurance that medical devices or foods have received the correct dose of radiation to ensure that the medical device has been fully sterilized. Another application may be for assurance that all pathogens leading to further degradation have been exterminated from the food.